Roots matter
by sparkleygem
Summary: SUMMERTIME parallel series- Hermione's story. Hermione goes home for the summer and, with the help of her cousin Daphne, rediscovers her Muggle roots.
1. Default Chapter

A/N- This is one of a three-part parallel series called Summertime, about what happens to our three favourite Gryffindors, (well, *my* three favourite Gryffindors anyway), during the summer leading up to fifth year. These stories will be sort-of prequels to 'Please Help Me With A Title', but you don't have to read these before you read that, and vice-versa. Each story begins at King's Cross at the end of book four, and all three of them link together, but you don't necessarily have to read all of them. I suggest you do though, because I personally think they will be quite interesting. (I might be slightly biased though). What happens to them in a brief summary- Harry finds out some unexpected things about Dudley, Ron grows closer to his sister and learns that he is not just the sixth child, and Hermione gets back in touch with her Muggle side.  
  
Anyway, please don't flame me!!! This is Hermione's story………enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer- I only own the plot. (Whoop-de-do).  
  
Chapter one- Going home.  
  
Harry winked at Fred and George, turned, and followed his Uncle Vernon towards the exit. Hermione watched him go, feeling so sorry for him it almost hurt. His family were so horrible to him- and he had to stay with them for the entire summer this year. There was no way Dumbledore would let him go anywhere, and she supposed it was for the best- better to be safe than sorry after all. But still…  
  
Hermione looked over at Ron, who was also watching Harry go, and looking like he was thinking along the same lines as her. "Ron?" She said, unsure of what she was going to say to him. "What's wrong?" She asked, feeling stupid as she said the words. It was pretty obvious what was wrong- their best friend was in mortal danger and for the next two months he would be living with a bunch of people who don't even like him, and couldn't care less whether he was dead or alive.  
  
Ron shrugged, as he always did when he didn't know how to answer a question. Hermione searched for something cheering to say. "I think he'll be alright." She said, in what she hoped was a convincing voice. By the look on Ron's face, it hadn't seemed to convince him. He bent down and leant on his trolley, so that his head was level with Hermione's. He shot a glance at his Mother and spoke quietly so that she wouldn't hear. "But what if You-Know-who comes to get him and…" Hermione didn't let him finish. She didn't want to hear this- yes she had been obsessing about it for the past few weeks, but it was too much to talk about it. She shook her head to cut him off. "No." She said firmly. "That won't happen."  
  
"But what if…" Ron tried again, but Hermione just gave him a stern look. "No." She repeated firmly. Hermione took a deep breath. "And anyway, isn't there some kind of ancient protection on his house?" She said, attempting to be reasonable. Ron straightened up, not looking too reassured. "I suppose so." He mumbled.  
  
As Ron spoke, Hermione's gaze wandered over to the other end of the train station. She could see her parents hurrying towards her, just outside W.H.Smith's. Hermione grinned. "My parents are here." She said, waving at them. They waved back and stopped where they were, waiting for her. Hermione picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She turned to Ron.  
  
"Bye!" She said cheerfully. Then, before he could stop her, she went up on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. Hermione didn't wait to see how embarrassed he would get- (she already had a fair idea), but turned around straight away to face Mrs Weasley, Ginny and the twins.  
  
"Bye Mrs Weasley. See you in September!" Hermione said, smiling at Ron's mother. Mrs Weasley beamed at her. "Hopefully before then. Take care of yourself Hermione dear." She gathered Hermione up into a big hug. Hermione grinned and turned to Ginny. "Bye Gin. Write to me, O.K?" She said, giving her a hug. Ginny smiled. "I will. Have a nice summer." She said. Hermione nodded. "You too."  
  
Hermione smiled over at the twins. "Bye Fred, bye George." She said cheerfully. Fred folded his arms and pouted. "You mean we don't get hugs? That's favouritism that is." He said sulkily. Before Hermione could answer, George pushed Ginny out of the way and threw himself at her, pretending to sob into her shoulder. Hermione didn't even get a chance to push him off before Fred had rushed over, grabbed her round the neck and started 'sobbing' as well. Hermione stood there, unable to move, torn between amusement and sheer embarrassment. However, Mrs Weasley soon saved her.  
  
"Stop that right now you two." She hissed. Fred and George stepped back from Hermione, sniffling and pretending to wipe their eyes. Hermione glanced at Ginny, who was trying to hide her laughter from Mrs Weasley. "Er… bye." She said, making her way back over to her trolley. Hermione bent down to make sure Crookshanks' cage was secure on top of her trunk and, after ascertaining that it was, she stood up and smiled at Ron. "See you later then." Ron smiled back. "Yeah. Bye." He said. Hermione waved over her shoulder at Ginny, and pushed her trolley off towards her parents.  
  
Ben and Joanne Granger smiled as their daughter approached them. Joanne pulled Hermione into a tight hug as soon as she was within hugging distance. "Hermione! We've missed you so much!" She cried. Hermione grinned as her mother released her. "I've missed you too." She said as her Dad pulled her in for a hug as well. "Hi Sweetie." He said, ruffling her hair. Hermione batted his hand away. "Stop that!" She said. Her Dad grinned and began pushing her trolley towards the exit.  
  
Hermione followed her parents out of the train station, contentedly listening to them chat about everything that had happened while she had been away. Most of it was pretty uninteresting, but she felt so happy to be home that she didn't care. Hermione loved the summer holidays. She was able to do her homework uninterrupted, study as much as she wanted without having to put up with Ron's wisecracks, spend time with her parents- mainly telling them all about Hogwarts, and still keep in touch with her friends through owl post. Of course, by the end of the holidays, Hermione was always anxious to get back to school. She was a witch, and no matter what she did, she always ended up feeling too cut off from the Wizarding World. So Hermione was going to make the most of the first few weeks- before she started getting too annoyed about being a Muggle-born.  
  
Hermione was just getting into the back seat of her silver car when she noticed that a small traffic jam was building up at the other side of the car park, caused by a car that, in the process of backing out of a parking space, had stopped and was just sitting there. Hermione rolled her eyes. Some drivers were so inconsiderate.  
  
A few moments later the car finally started off again, and the queue behind it let up. Hermione watched as it drove past her, and suddenly recognised the people inside. It was Harry and his family. He couldn't see her- he was looking out of another window at something. Hermione leant over to the steering wheel and pressed the horn. "Harry!" She yelled to get his attention. She got out of the car and waved frantically. He didn't seem to see her.  
  
Hermione sighed and went to get back in the car, but was completely distracted by a large, bright purple thing down a side street at the other end of the car park. Although she had never seen it before, Hermione recognised it straight away. The Knight Bus.  
  
Hermione turned to her parents excitedly. "Mum! Dad!" She cried. "Look! There's the Knight Bus!" Hermione had told them about the Knight Bus last summer, and they had thought it was very funny. Hermione pointed at the bus, and her parents turned to look with interest.  
  
Ben Granger frowned. "Where?" He asked confusedly. Hermione gesticulated wildly towards the Knight Bus. "There! It's triple-decker, bright purple- right in front of you! You can't miss it!" She exclaimed. Something moving to the left of the Knight Bus distracted Hermione, and she suddenly realised that Ron and his family were boarding the bus, and Ron was waving at her. Hermione waved back at him, her face splitting into a big smile. Hermione looked over at her parents again, to see they were staring at the point the Knight Bus was, blank looks on their faces.  
  
Hermione realised what was wrong and sighed. Her parents were Muggles, and so of course they would not be able to see the Knight Bus. "You can't see it, can you?" She asked heavily. Her parents shook their heads bemusedly. Hermione looked sadly over to the Knight Bus again, where Ron gave her one last wave and boarded the Bus. The doors shut and, without any warning, the entire thing disappeared with a loud bang.  
  
"Come on Honey." Hermione looked over at her parents, both of whom were already in the car and were waiting for her to get in. With another sigh, Hermione climbed onto the back seat and closed the door behind her. She was silent as they drove past the street the Knight Bus had been standing on, feeling a bit depressed. It was a feeling she had only really felt twice before- when Harry and Ron weren't speaking to her in the third year, and when she had just found out she was a witch, and was visiting Diagon alley for the first time.  
  
There had been instructions on how to find the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley on Hermione's Hogwarts letter, and she had never felt so excited in her life as she had that day. (This was, of course, before her first day at Hogwarts and the first time they had got their homework marks back). Hermione hadn't been able to sit still all day, and when they finally arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, she had been mesmerised by it. It was just so… so magical. And she knew that once she had past through its doors and into Diagon Alley, she would never want to go back. She had felt that this was the moment she would stop being a Muggle and would become a witch. But the moment was soon shattered.  
  
Hermione's parents couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron- and they thought Hermione was lying when she said that it was right in front of them. In that moment, Hermione had felt herself become somewhat separated from her parents. She was off to learn new things and meet new people, and she knew that in a sense she would have to leave them behind. They were Muggles, and did not understand about magic. And there was probably no way that they ever would.  
  
As they had gone through Diagon Alley that day, Hermione had felt completely alone for the first time in her life. She had always had her parents, but this was something they wouldn't be able to help her with, and that thought scared her, but most of all made her sad. Hermione had forgotten about the feeling as she had started Hogwarts- there were new things to do, lots of things to learn, and new friends to make. She had other people who knew about the new World she had entered, who had lived in it their entire life, and she no longer felt alone. But sitting in her car as she and her parents made their way home, the memories came flooding back, and once again she felt alone. Alone as a witch stuck for eight weeks in a place she couldn't do magic or talk to anyone about it.  
  
Hermione shook her head to clear it of all these thoughts. She wasn't alone. She had her parents. And even though they didn't understand, that wasn't their fault. And it didn't matter anyway because she had her friends to talk to through owl post and all her studying to do for the O.W.L's. Content that she could get down to some serious revision when she got home, Hermione began to map out a studying timetable in her mind out of habit.  
  
"Hermione dear?" Hermione blinked and looked up at her Mum, who was smiling at her from the passenger seat. "We have some good news." She said. Hermione smiled. "What's the gossip then?" She joked. Joanne smiled back. "Daphne and Luke will be staying with us this summer." She said happily.  
  
Hermione felt her heart sink like a stone, right to the bottom of her feet. And it only stayed there because the soles of her shoes were too tough for her heart to get through. A few seconds ago she had been feeling so happy- her summer had looked so great. And now… this ruined everything. Hermione felt her hands subconsciously ball into fists- probably due to her sudden, strong desire to hit something. Her thoughts must have shown on her face.  
  
"Hermione? Honey, what's wrong?" Her Mum asked worriedly. Hermione looked at her Mother, not knowing what to say. She felt like a little kid in a sweet shop, being told that she wasn't allowed to have anything- (not that Hermione had ever been into a sweet shop before), she knew that whatever she said now, she was going to sound like a whiny brat. But that couldn't be helped.  
  
"Do they have to come?" She asked quietly, not looking at her Mum. Joanne frowned. "What do you mean? I thought you'd be glad of the company." She said. Hermione's head snapped up and she stared at her mother in disbelief. Joanne Granger really didn't understand.  
  
"Glad of the company? Are you kidding? Do you know how much work I've got to do? They don't know about me yet and…" Hermione's voice was rising steadily in tone, but her father cut her off before it reached it a pitch that only dogs could hear. "Alright Hermione, there's no need to get upset. Why don't you just tell them?" Hermione stared at her father. He had definitely gone crazy.  
  
"Are you mad? Do you know how much trouble I could get in for just *thinking* about telling them?" She cried. Joanne Granger frowned. "They're your family. You're allowed to tell your family." She said angrily. Hermione shook her head. "No. You're allowed to tell *immediate* family. *Cousins* are not immediate family!" Hermione sat back in her chair and covered her face with her hands, trying to shut everything out.  
  
"I don't know why you're getting so upset Hermione. I thought you'd be pleased to see them. After all, it's been four years." Joanne Granger said testily. Hermione dropped her hands and sighed heavily, trying to think of a way to make them understand. "I would, any other time. It's just that now…"  
  
Ben Granger was starting to get annoyed with his daughter. "People's schedules don't revolve around you Hermione." He said shortly, eyeing his daughter through the rear-view mirror. Hermione sighed again and looked out of the window. They were almost home. "I know." She said. "I'm sorry. It's just that I, we have to… oh, you just don't understand." She said crossly, folding her arms.  
  
Hermione's mother frowned and folded her arms as well. "You're right Hermione. We don't understand. What's so awful about seeing your cousins?" She demanded. Hermione ran a hand through her hair and stayed silent. "Hermione." Her mother said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm waiting for an answer." Hemione looked up at her Mum. "Fine." She said.  
  
"I won't be able to get the Daily Prophet delivered anymore because how on earth am I meant to explain a Wizard newspaper? I won't be able to do any of my homework, or read any of the books I got out of the library, and what's the point of getting books out of a library if you don't get to read them? When are we going to go to Diagon Alley? And then I…"  
  
Joanne Granger cut her daughter off. "Hermione, they're not going to be here for the entire summer, just six weeks…" "Six weeks!" Exclaimed Hermione in dismay. Joanne sighed. "Hermione, I know you want to do your schoolwork, but I'm afraid it will have to wait. We'll have plenty of time to go to Diagon Alley, and you can just cancel your newspaper subscription for a few weeks. It's not the end of the World darling." She said.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "But Harry and Ron- they won't be able to write to me. What if something happens, and they need to talk to me?" She said desperately. Ben Granger swung the car into the driveway of their house and turned to face his daughter with a stern look on his face. "You're being ridiculous now Hermione. What could possibly happen that would be so urgent that it couldn't wait?" He snapped.  
  
Hermione felt her insides tighten up at the mere thought of what could possibly happen. It was quickly replaced by resentment- resentment that her parents were Muggles and didn't understand. She knew that every Witch and Wizard up and down the country knew that Voldemort had come back and, whether they believed it or not, all were taken extra precautions. Hermione felt so *annoyed*- why couldn't her parents be a Witch and Wizard?  
  
Hermione had never wished for that before- and she felt a little surprised by the force of the emotion. But she knew why it was- at this time, when everything was so dangerous and dark, she needed her parents to know what to do. But of course they didn't, and they never would. Hermione knew she had to protect them this summer, not the other way round as it was meant to be.  
  
Suddenly Hermione felt angry. She was only fifteen years old for God's sake! She shouldn't be going through this; she shouldn't have all this pressure on her shoulders.  
  
Overcome by the ferocity of the emotion, Hermione punched her fist down on the seat, pushed open the car-door and jumped out. She ran to the front door, which burst open before she reached it. Hermione froze. She hadn't made anything magical happen subconsciously since she had started Hogwarts. Would she get in trouble?  
  
"Hermione!?" Her mother's voice cut into Hermione's thoughts and she snapped out of her worry. Without even glancing back at her parents, she ran inside the house and straight up to her room. The front door slammed shut behind her.  
  
  
  
Please r/r! 


	2. Chapter 2

Here's the next instalment of Hermione's summertime, though I'm not sure if anyone's actually reading it. Oh well!  
  
Disclaimer: It's all J.K's.  
  
Chapter two  
  
By the next morning Hermione had simmered down slightly, but was still very annoyed. She wasn't sure who she mad at, and came to the conclusion that she was mad at a variety of people for very silly reasons- her parents; for being Muggles and dentists, herself; for being a Muggle-born, her cousins; for coming to visit, her aunt and uncle; for not taking their kids on holiday with them, Ron; for being part of a big Wizard family and knowing everything that's going on, and for not writing to her yet so that she can write to him and Harry and tell them what's going on before Luke and Daphne arrived, and mad at Harry for the same reason, though minus the part about a large Wizarding family. When she was dressed, Hermione went downstairs to the kitchen, where she found her mother making toast. "Hello Hermione." Joanne said quietly, as if afraid speaking loudly would set Hermione off again. Hermione sat down at the table as her dad walked in. "Mum, Dad," Hermione started hesitantly. Then it all came out in a rush; "I'm sorry I acted so weird yesterday, it's just that I really didn't expect to have to spend all summer being so cut off. Anyway, there was no excuse for what I did, so I hope that you're OK with that and that you forgive me, and that." "Hermione." Her Dad interrupted, sitting down opposite her. "You're waffling." He told her with a grin. Hermione grinned back, feeling a lot better, but the next second was brought back down to Earth with a painful THUMP. Her Dad had gone as white as a sheet and was staring at her teeth. Too late, Hermione remembered and quickly stopped smiling. "I can't believe you did it." Her dad said, clearly in actual disbelief. Hermione swallowed. "Dad." She started. Her Mum came over to the table looking curious. "What?" She asked. Hermione's dad answered before she got a chance. "Your. Daughter. Has. Shrunk. Her. Teeth." He said, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. Joanne gasped and stared at Hermione. "What?" She said. Hermione swallowed again. This was not the way they were meant to have found out. "How could you Hermione? After everything we told you about how important your teeth are and how you should not use magic on." "It's not dangerous mum, honestly!" Hermione interrupted her mother. She didn't like the way her parents spoke about magic as if it was something not to be mixed with anything. Hermione chanced a glance at her dad, who was now red with trying not to blow up. "Honestly dad!" She insisted. "And it wasn't planned, you see, there was this curse that hit me and my teeth grew to down past my collar, so they had to be shrunk and I thought that, well, seeing as I'd be shrinking them anyway, that it wouldn't matter if." "I DON'T CARE IF YOUR TEETH HAD TURNED GREEN! MAGIC AND TEETH DO NOT MIX!" Ben suddenly bellowed. Hermione shrank back in her chair, knowing that nothing she could say right now would calm down her parents. They were obstinately proud of their profession and she knew that they felt betrayed by her use of magic on her teeth. So she sat there and took it. It went on for what seemed like hours. Ben yelled until his face was closer to purple than red, and when he had to go to work, Joanne took over. Her methods were subtler than her husband's. She didn't yell- she just spoke quietly for close on an hour about how much they had gone through to do everything they could for their only child and how they had never imagined that she would be so disloyal. When it seemed like her mother had no more to say, Hermione went upstairs to her room and collapsed on her bed. Although Hermione felt bad that her parents felt bad, she didn't dwell on it for too long. They would get over it eventually and she had more important things to worry about- like her cousins coming to her house the next day. How was she going to stay in touch with Harry and Ron? There was no way that she *couldn't*- not with everything happening right now. Hermione was still lying on her bed half an hour later when she heard a sharp tapping noise on her bedroom window. Her head snapped up to see Pigwidgeon fluttering outside with a couple of letters tied to his leg. Hermione had never been so glad to see Pig and she hurried to open the window for him. Pig swooped in and, using his free leg to shake them off, dropped the letters on her bedside table, hooting happily. Hermione was walking across the room to retrieve them when the idea hit her. She stood still for a couple of seconds, going over the finer details in her mind, and then, finally decided, she picked up the letters and sat down with them at her desk. One was addressed to Harry, which Hermione placed to one side as she opened her own letter.  
  
Hermione, How are you? I don't know what the weather's like in London, but it's pouring down in Ottery St. Catchpole. But being stuck indoors has it's upside- I get to walk around proudly wearing my spew badge for all to see. My Dad says hardly anyone believes him and Dumbledore, so things at the Ministry are really great. (Sarcasm). I don't know how Harry is because I'm sending him a letter the same time as you- if Pig delivers yours first then don't read it- it includes an ongoing discussion about how we think we should turn your hair green and stick you to the wall of the Great Hall during breakfast on April Fool's Day. Ron.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and placed it to one side. It was such a typical 'Ron' letter- full of jokes and sarcasm but with a really serious line casually thrown in. Hermione picked up a piece of paper and began to write a reply.  
  
Dear Ron, Thanks for your letter- I am so glad that you wrote to me so soon because I have something really important to say; DO NOT SEND ME LETTERS DURING THE DAY. I know this may seem strange, but my cousins are staying with me as of tomorrow, and as they don't know anything about Hogwarts it would not be clever to receive letters by owl. I've come up with a way to still get letters though- send them at night. I'll leave any letters I happen to write on my desk, and then Hedwig can bring any letters that you and Harry write. I think it would be best if Hedwig did it- she's really smart and, I'm not saying Pig isn't, but he makes too much noise- it'll wake everyone up. Anyway, I'm sorry to hear about the ministry- I hope your father and Percy are all right. Please let me know if anything major happens- I'm going to have to cancel my subscription to the Daily Prophet while my cousins are here, so I'll be totally cut off. I won't even be able to do my homework for another SIX WEEKS! On a lighter note, my parents noticed my teeth earlier on, so now they're not speaking to me. Love from Hermione.  
  
Hermione folded the letter, wrote 'Ron' on it and put it to one side. Taking another piece of paper, she wrote a very similar letter to Harry.  
  
Dear Harry, I'm sending this with Pig because I have something urgent to say that can't wait until you write to me. DO NOT SEND ME LETTERS DURING THE DAY. I know this sounds weird, but my cousins Daphne and Luke are staying with us as of tomorrow and of course they don't know about Hogwarts. Therefore, I can't go receiving letters delivered by owl- how on earth would I explain it? But at night time, I think it would be all right. I'll leave my window open and put my letters to you and Ron on my desk. Hedwig's smart- she'll be able to pick them up and drop off your letters, but it might be safer if Ron delivered his letters to me via you and Hedwig, because Pig would probably wake everyone up. Anyway, how is your summer going so far? My mum and dad noticed my teeth earlier on- it was havoc. I don't think they're speaking to me. I'm alright apart from that, but of course I'm annoyed I won't be able to do my homework while my cousins are here. Don't get me wrong- it's lovely to see them again, it's just that it's very annoying to have to be on red-alert no speaking about magic all the time. It's bad enough being cut off from our world for so long- as you know. I even have to cancel my subscription to the Daily Prophet! Love from Hemione.  
  
Hermione wrote 'Harry' on this letter and beckoned Pig down to the desk. She tied the letters she had written and Ron's letter for Harry onto Pig's leg as best she could, said goodbye to him, as she wouldn't be seeing him for a month and a half, and watched him fly out of the window. Hermione sighed. Why did being a Muggle-born have to be so complicated?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry this took so long! Please review! 


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